Mount Union Houses TA2 Business Incubator

July 06, 2012

ALLIANCE, Ohio — Students at the University of Mount Union have a unique opportunity to learn first-hand how small and large businesses are created and sustained.

Thanks to a new partnership called TA2 (Technology Accelerator Alliance), students interested in technology and entrepreneurship will gain experience working with a business incubator right on campus. TA2 is collaboration amongst the City of Alliance, the University of Mount Union and the Alliance Area Development Foundation (AADF).

The idea behind the business incubator is to surround business-minded individuals with the resources they need to increase their chance of success. The incubator will assist with business to business (B2B) technology startups.

According to Matt Stinson, director of advancement at Mount Union, the City of Alliance provided a substantial amount of funding for the incubator through the sale of one of its properties in town.

“The funds we have today will allow us to operate for three years,” Stinson said.

A long-term sustainable model for the business incubator is being developed by Brad Myers, who was hired to oversee TA2.

“Mount Union is providing the location for the incubator with Brad’s office being in the same vicinity as the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems,” Stinson said. “This will provide the potential for some great collaboration.”

The business incubator was established at the same time that Mount Union launched an entrepreneurship minor and will be a tool for those students as they study at Mount Union. The incubator will be a resource for students with new technology ideas as well. The incubator isn’t just for students, though, according to Stinson.

“It’s for anybody in the Alliance and greater Northeast Ohio community that is looking to launch or accelerate a technology startup,” he said.

Stinson said the ultimate goal of the TA2 partnership is to bring jobs to Alliance.

“These companies will be creating not just the programmer and developer jobs but also the core executive team of sales and marketing and product management positions,” he said.

Myers said the business incubator model fulfills the mission statement of TA2, which is to “bring together technology innovators, launch their ideas and accelerate their companies.”